Coin selection program system



Nov. 30, 1937. w. A. M CUTCHEON 2,100,603 COIN SELECTION PROGRAM SYSTEM I F led Nov. 6, 1936 PILE l GHANNEL"A L H E L CHANNEL "B" (K L H k f (L Q: CHANNEL "0" C C K C L H a i 9 I /0 n n V "(7 d 4 POWER LINES 1-H I c:: c:: c:f

,/2 A II consumens l 4 L AMPLIFIER h- /z l i I I /5 /4 REPRBDUCING DEVICE P ILE E POWER LINES FILTER IIAII FILTER RECEIVER 2/ AMPLIFIER INVENTOR.

DEVICE \fi ATTORNEY z; a i @Uiwa/m LfiIZc dg REPRDDUCING Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COIN SELECTION PROGRAM SYSTEM William A. McCutcheon, East Williston, N. Y., assignor to Muzak Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio enabling the consumer to select one of several dif- -ferent classes of program service through coin operated selection apparatus.

A further object comprises providing a pro- 10 gram distribution system embracing a plurality of program service channels which can be made individually eiiective for the reproduction of a particular program from one of these channels upon insertion of a suitable coin in a selected one 15 of several coin operated controlling-devices.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals-designate like parts and in which: no Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticrepresentation of one embodiment of the invention showing a reproducing system with coin controlled program selection; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an 25 alternative form of the invention.

The invention contemplates the provision of a coin controlled program system wherein the insertion of coins controls Hie selection of programs for reproduction. In accordance with the inven- 30 tion, a plurality of coinoperated devices are provided for controlling difierent program channels available at the program reproducer whereby various ones of the. programs can be reproduced under control of coin mechanism.

35 Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly't'o Fig. 1, wire line pairs I, 2 and 3 convey audio frequencyprogram signals to the place of program reproduction. The lines I, 2 and 3 correspond to different program channels designated 4 as A, B, and C. These program channels embrace different types of program material and; in accordance with the system of the invention, originate at difierent studios to provide'difierent classes of service. For example, each of the pro- 45 gram channels may provide program services having difierent consumers costs, requiring payment of different charges for use of the programs at the consumers premises.

A consumer's amplifier 4 is provided with a' 50 plurality of input circuits 5, .6 and I, respectively connected with the wire pairs l, 2 and 3. Interposed in the circuits 5, 6 and l are coin operated 1 devices 8, 9 and Ill. The devices 8,9 and I0 are of standard or commercial form and each is 55 adapted to receive a coin'of diiierent denomina- ApplicationNovember 6, 1936, Serial No. 109,492

tion for releasing a handle, such as the handle 8a, .to close a circuit switch which is maintained in closed condition for a predetermined period by a timing mechanism contained within the coin operated-device. When this predetermined period expires, the switch is automatically opened,

thereby interrupting the circuit. By the use of such devices, the signal input to the amplifier4 is selected from any one of the program classes merely by insertion of the proper coin in a selected 10 one of the coin operated devices and movement of the handle thereof.

In accordance with atypical embodiment of I the invention, the power energizing circuit H to the amplifier 4 is extended through a coin oper-' ated device l2 to the commercial power distribution linesl3. The device I2 is similar to the devices 8 l0, except that the insertion of a coin therein may provide a relatively much longer pe-' riod of circuit completion so that theenergizing circuit to the amplifier is maintained during various successive operations of the devices 8I0 for reproduction-of different programs; In the embodiment of the invention shown, the circuit ll includes asubsidiary circuit l4 extending to a reproducing device IS. The reproducing device l5 comprises means for reproducing programs and g the circuit provides operating voltages. For

example, the reproducing device l5 can include electron tubes and a power speaker energized by the circuit l4. However, in another instance, the reproducing device l5 may comprise-no more than a speaker of the permanent magnet fieldtype. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the energizing' circuit for the device I5 is controlled by the coin operated mechanism .l 2 as is the energizv ing circuit from the amplifier 4.

When itis desired to operate the system shown in Fig. 1 for the reproduction of selected programs, a suitable coinis deposited in the coin 40 device I! and the handle Ila. thereof is moved I to initiate the operation. When the switch is thus closed, the amplifier 4 and reproducing device l5 are energized; Thereupon, a coin of a suitable denomination can be deposited in. any one of the devices 8-H). Upon reception ofa coin in a selected one of the devices 8-10, the

handle thereof can be moved, whereupon a desired one of the programs becomes available to the amplifier 4 for reproduction by the reproduc- 5o ing device l5.

In another form-of the invention, the programs are transmitted over the power lines 20 as carrier frequencies. For example, the audio signals comprising the channels A, B and 0 appear as side band frequencies of a plurality of discrete carrier frequencies simultaneously impressed upon the power lines 20. In this form of the invention, as shown in Fig. 2, a receiver amplifier 2| 5 is provided having frequency characteristics such that it may receive, amplify, and detect program signals within a. frequency band embracing all of the discrete carrier frequency program ranges mentioned; The input circuit to amplifier 2| extends through selection networks designated as filters A, B and C corresponding to the different program channels. Each of these filters is designed to pass carrier frequency energy respectively within the frequency ranges of the different program channels.

As shown in Fig. 2, the input circuit 23 ex-.

tends from the power lines through capacitive couplings 24 to the filters A, B and C. The

coin operated devices 8, 9 and ID are provided 20 immediately adjacent the filters A, B and C so that the operation of any one'of the devices will operably' connect a particular filter with the power lines 20 over circuit 23 extending through capacitive couplings 24. The capacitive couplings 25 24 prevent the commercial power from traversing the signal circuit but permit signalling energy to pass freely thereover.

An energizing circuit 26 extends through the coin operated device l2 to the receiver amplifier 30 2|. A side energizing circuit extends from the energization, a coin of the necessary denomina-. 4 tion may be inserted in a selected one of the devices 8|0 to render any one of thecfilters A, B or C efi'ectively operable to pass signallhig energy to the receiveramplifier 2| This signalling energy' is received, amplified and supplied tothe 45 reproducing device |5 for the reproduction of a desired program.

Although two forms ofcoinselection program system have been disclosed, it will be apparent In the operation of the system of Fig. 2, the

that various other forms and modifications can be made without departing from the intended scope of the invention. Therefore, no limitation is intended except as imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

' What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A coin selection program system comprising, an amplifier, a reproducing device associated therewith, wire lines for supplying commercial .power to said amplifier, a coin controlled time switch in said wire lines for controlling the en-- ergization of said amplifier and associated reproducing device, means for delivering a plurality of different program channels to said amplifier, including a coin controlled time switch for controlling, subordinate to the control exercised bysaid time switch controlled energization of said amplifier, each of said channels to selectively connect any one of said program channels to said amplifier and reproducing device for reproducing a program from a selected program channel for a time interval equal to a fraction only of the time interval during which said amplifier 'is energized by a single operation of the time switch controlling said amplifier.

2. A coin selection program system comprising, an amplifier, a reproducing device associated therewith, wire lines forsupplying commercial power to said amplifier, a coin controlled time switch in said wirelines for controlling the energization of said amplifier and associated reproducing device,'means for delivering a plurality of different program channels to said amplifier, including a plurality of selection circuits of different frequency characteristics, a coin controlled time switch associated with each of said selection circuits for rendering subordinate to the control exercised by said coin controlled switch in said wire lines a selected one of said circuits effective to transmit a selected program channel to said amplifier-and reproducing device for reproducing'a program from a selected channel for a time interval equal to a fraction only of thetime interval during which said amplifier is energized by a single operation of the time switch controlling said amplifier.

. WILLIAM A. McCUTCHECN.- 

